This
design-build<http://www.virginiadot.org/business/design-build.asp>
projectreplaces
the Washington Boulevard bridge over Columbia Pike in Arlington.The
new bridge will be wider, longer and a great deal more attractive thantoday’s
structure. A light well will separate westbound and eastboundlanes,
and an acceleration/deceleration lane will be added westboundbetween
ramps to assist weaving.

The
new bridge will accommodate Columbia Pike widening. Clearance under thebridge
will be increased to 16'-8” to accommodate a future area streetcar.Columbia
Pike will have 11-foot travel lanes, a left-turn lane, and raisedmedian.

Several
ramps will also be reconfigured to improve access, traffic flow andincrease
capacity.

The
existing box culvert that conveys Long Branch through the center of theinterchange
will be replaced with a double-cell box culvert and extended toreduce
erosion at the downstream end.

A
10-foot shared-use path on one side and a 7- to 8-foot sidewalk on theother
side of Columbia Pike will run through the project area. The designprovides
enhanced safety, mobility and aesthetics for all interchangeusers—pedestrians,
bicyclists, and motorists.

Aesthetic
Features

A
community working group of citizens, Arlington County and VDOT staffdeveloped
concepts for the bridge's architectural and aesthetic treatments,including:

*•
*Decorative pylons in each corner*•*
Haunched steel fascia girders with a two-tone paint scheme to mimic theexisting
arch*•
*A relief pattern incorporated into the vertical outer surfaces of thebridge
parapet to create shadows and visual interest.*•
*A concrete block pattern on retaining and abutment walls similar toPentagon
architecture*•
*Recessed, arched panels on the abutment walls*•
*Medallions with images reflecting the historical significance of
theFreedmen’s
Village, for which the bridge will be named*•
*Color and anti-graffiti application to concrete surfaces

Traffic
Impacts

During
the project, drivers can expect single lane closures daily onWashington
Boulevard in both directions from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Driverscan
also expect periodic traffic shifts, the first this summer to newtemporary
pavement crews will construct over the next few months.

*Periodic
Columbia Pike closures* – Up to five weekend closures per year ofColumbia
Pike are expected for work such as bridge demolition and erectionof
high beams. These closures will begin after rush hour Friday evening andreopen
by rush hour on Monday morning. Traffic will be rerouted between S.Quinn
Street and S. Orme Street around the north side of the intersection.Message
signs will notify motorists of these closures in advance.

The
existing single-span bridge was built in the 1940s by the WarDepartment
as part of the Pentagon Roadway Network. It is a thick, solidstructure
that suffers from deteriorating concrete, corrosion, and heavychloride
contamination. It has also withstood many years of increasingtraffic
loads.

Currently,
the interchange does not operate adequately or accommodate allusers,
and also prohibits widening Columbia Pike. A 2008 traffic analysisconsidered
spot improvements and corridor-wide improvements to theinterchange
to address concerns raised by the community working group.Concerns
included maintaining S. Queen Street access, adding signals alongColumbia
Pike, separating Ramp E from the S. Queen Street intersection tothe
extent possible, and eliminating time-of-day lane use on eastboundColumbia
Pike. While all concerns could not be addressed through design,VDOT’s
intent was to determine how best to meet the safety, operation, andaccess
issues raised by the Bridge Working Group, while also ensuring thatthe
interchange configuration will function adequately during the peakhours
without queues spilling back onto the mainline of WashingtonBoulevard.
View a copy of the traffic analysisreport<http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/resources/NorthernVirginia/27-244_Traffic_Analysis_Report.pdf>.

The
bridge was rated as “poor” in recent structural inspections, meaningthat
the superficial concrete is in poor condition, but is stillsufficiently
capable of carrying traffic without further restriction orrisk
to the public. Note: Truck drivers are reminded of the bridge's postedweight
restriction of 27 tons (single truck) and 40 tons (truck withtrailer),
which is Virginia's legal load for these types of vehicles.

Despite
the bridge’s rating, with diligent inspections and maintenance, itsrigid
concrete frame will withstand current traffic loads for theforeseeable
future, as it has for many years.

Washington
Boulevard carries more than 80,000 vehicles each day overColumbia
Pike.